Let's get Scotland singing to help end loneliness and isolation

Our Big Braw Community is determined to get Scotland singing to help end loneliness and isolation.

Celebrities and sporting stars are urging families to get involved by drawing up personal playlists for people living on their own or those with dementia as music can soothe upsetting symptoms and end loneliness.

Care homes which use playlists to help residents with dementia have been able to cut anxiety medication by up to an astonishing 60%.

When BBC broadcaster and author Sally Magnusson was caring for her beloved mother Mamie Baird, music changed everything. Despite living with Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia, music allowed Mamie to keep singing long after the disease affected her speech.

Sally with her mum Mamie whom she helped care for until her death in 2021.

Sally, who helped care for her mum until she died aged 86 in 2012, found the therapy so effective, she established groundbreaking charity Playlist For Life to help others, writing movingly about their experience in the book Where Memories Go – Why Dementia Changes Everything.

She said: “We had always been a family who enjoyed and shared music. It was natural that I would sing a favourite song to mum. Long after she had been unable to hold conversations, mum was still able to sing verses back to me, note perfect.

Sally, who has beautiful hymn Silent Night on her playlist, said: “It brought mum comfort and happiness when we shared those songs.

“I wanted to encourage others to use the same techniques to keep communication going.”

Her Playlist For Life charity and our Big Braw Community are now encouraging families across Scotland to get together to draw up their favourite music lists to share happy memories. And we are calling on readers to make their own suggestions for a playlist for our Big Braw Community.

One of Scotland’s top dementia experts Professor Terry Quinn said: “This is such a wonderful, joyful way to bring people closer together. I’m delighted to see this campaign really making a difference in so many lives.

“The therapeutic and healing effects of music have been recognised for thousands of years, but in recent decades I think we have forgotten how powerful music can be.

“I am really pleased initiatives like Big Braw Community are helping us rediscover and enjoy music.”

Age Scotland are our Big Braw Community partners and CEO Katherine Crawford has Burning Down The House by Talking Heads on her playlist. She said: “It brings back happy memories of student days with my now husband.”

And their policy director Adam Stachura said: “Growing up you were either a Blur or Oasis fan. Don’t Look Back In Anger was the first record I ever bought. It’s still my go-to favourite.”

Stars’ top picks

Sir Alex Ferguson

Iconic football manager Sir Alex Ferguson embraces his Govan roots.

He said: “Moon River is the song I sing with my oldest pals from Govan. Only they would have the patience to listen to me! Nat King Cole’s It’s All In The Game also carries special memories. When I was 17 and playing for Queen’s Park, they used to have an annual snooker contest which I won. But at the annual Christmas dance, they refused to hand over my prize unless I sang this”.

Sir Alex is also partial to Dirty Old Town by the Pogues and The Way We Were by Barbara Streisand. But he gets sentimental over Danny Boy. He said: “A host of singers have portrayed different perspectives. One sad version is of a father taking his son to catch a train as he was heading off for war. The father was so worried, he forgot to give his son a hug. The boy never returned.”

Ian Rankin

Rebus author Ian Rankin listens to electronic instrumentals when he writes his best-selling books.

But he admitted the theme from Shaft, by Isaac Hayes, is one of his favourite tunes.

Rankin said: “I was 11 years old when I bought this, my first single.

“I still have it.

“It takes me back to sitting listening to it on my sister’s Dansette portable record player.

“Moondance by Van Morrison takes me back to my late 20s.

“I’m married, living in London, trying to become a full-time writer but earning most of my income as a music journalist. I love that Morrison is still recording after six decades in the industry.

“To quote him, music revives memories and keeps a person ‘lit up inside’.”

Jane McCarry

Still Game star and Bafta-winner Jane McCarry, who is starring, as the bad witch in Jack In The Beanstalk in panto at the Beacon Theatre in Greenock said the song that makes her happy is Gloria by Laura Brannigan.

Jane said: “I don’t quite know why, but when I hear it, I’m a teenager, sitting in my room, singing along. Gloria still makes me smile.

“I’d come home from school and my mum and dad – Jean and Jimmy – would be dancing together in the living room. Moon River was their favourite.

“When Mum was passing away, we played music to soothe her.

“As she took her last breath, Moon River was playing on my phone and it just stopped in the middle of the song.”

She added: ‘I’ll never forget that feeling.”

Gary Hollywood

Bafta-winning actor Gary Hollywood, who is a proud ambassador of our Big Braw Community has happy memories of his dad John singing along to Fats Domino and Blueberry Hill.

Gary said: “That song was the soundtrack to my childhood. Dad played it all the time. I think I learned to speak hearing those lyrics.”

John died suddenly, aged 77, in January 2023. The song continues to bring back happy memories.

Gary added: “When we lost Dad, we were heartbroken. But that song lifts our spirits. Happy memories of Dad singing and joking come flooding back. It’s hard not to smile.

“My son Ollie is just four, but he knows all the words to Blueberry Hill because he used to sing along with his grandpa.

“Whenever we sing the song together now, we think of Dad.”